Being a Better Rider Day 23: Half Seat and Two Point
It’s another day in the 31 day riding challenge! How are things going for you so far? Do you notice any difference? Not just in your riding, but how about your confidence level? Do you notice a change? I hope you do!
For day 23, we are going to concentrate on some skills that will help improve your position and security in the saddle. And this isn’t just for English riders, you can do these exercise if you ride western too!
But first I should probably give you a little more information on what a half seat and two point position really is.
What is a Half Seat?
When you are sitting on your horse normally, it is said to be a full seat because you have three points of contact on your horse, your lower legs, seat and knees. This is the most secure seat.
The half seat is also called a light seat, or a three point seat too. And this means you are raised out of the saddle a bit, but your skin is barley touching the saddle. Your legs are still securely on your horses sides, but the seat is slightly raised. So you are lightly sitting on the saddle in basically three points having contact even though the seat contact is minimal. I believe George Morris usually calls a half seat a three point seat, but don’t quote me on that.
Two Point
A two-point position is having two points of contact on the horse, the knees. Your seat is risen out of the saddle. This gives your horse more freedom to use his body, but it also gives you the least amount of contact with your horse while in the two point position.
One added benefit of riding in a two point position is it really gets your heels down in your stirrups. Think about it, your seat is raided up from the saddle, and then your weight must be transferred somewhere else. Gravity will pull your heels down when you get into a two point position because this will help you to be more stable when your seat is out of the saddle.
These different seats have different applications while riding. They are really important if you are going to be jumping.
Practice both a half seat and 2-point seat while your horse is standing still. Feel the difference?
Perfect Practice Makes Perfect
Now, I want you to practice both the half seat and 2 – point while walking around your arena. I like doing a half seat for a bit, and then going into a 2-point position and then back to the half seat.
This is not easy the first time you do it. Your legs will feel like Jell-O, unless you are already a very fit and athletic person, which I am not, in my own opinion. However, by continuing to practice both a 2 point and half seat position while I am riding, I am increasing my strength of my thighs as well as my overall balance in the saddle.
My favorite part after doing this for a few revolutions around the arena is to sink into my full seat. This is a reward!
If this is your first time doing this, practice several times around your arena going back and forth between half and 2-point seat both directions. Once you have mastered the different seats in walk, you need to also master then in trot, and canter, again, both directions of the ring.
The Day is Complete!
And that is it for day #23! I say that’s it, but if you did this exercise to its fullest, your legs are wobbly, and you can feel that you rode today.
Once you have written down your plank minutes, go ahead and draw a big red “X”over day 23. You did it!
